Spoilers own a timeshare of the house at R’lyeh.

Chamber films have a special appeal to me. That is, a movie shot primarily on one location. Regardless if the restriction is a limited budget or not, this implies the movie has to focus all its strengths in creating a plot that both begins and ends in the same place with a limited cast. Make it a horror film and the claustrophobic nature of the environment will be used as an advantage rather than a restriction by the right filmmaker and cast.

(Credit: Shudder)

GLORIOUS (2022) is directed by Rebekah McKendry. Wes (Ryan Kwanten) is falling asleep at the wheel as he manages to make it to the next rest stop. He’s got only a few belongings with him, including pictures of a former love interest and a teddy bear. Drinking away his problems and burning away most of his memories, he keeps only a picture. When he wakes with a hangover the next morning and rushes into the restroom to puke out his stomach, a voice from the other stall (JK Simmons) starts talking to him. And this is the beginning of a strange encounter, both mythical and terrible. This will not end well.

This film sets its aim very high (or low depending on your point of view) in the mythical scale. Our protagonist is about to get acquainted with something old and powerful that defines human comprehension. The concept is akin to Lovecraftian lore, but to explain what happens and why is best left for you to discover. Gore is on the menu, but the real horror is the implication of what’s in the next stall rather than the actual reveal. As horror films go, it is tame as it relies mostly on your imagination. Because it can only remain as an unseen concept, it sometimes even fall on the comedic side. I found the performances rather enjoyable and worth a lot more than the payback.

Highly recommended. Yes, it uses concepts similar to the works of H.P. Lovecraft but it relies mostly on expectations than a big gory outcome which might not be enough for the hardcore horror fan. The performances, specially the vocal talent of J.K. Simmons are what make this feature a win. That being said, it does provide moments of both satire and dark humour with some decent if not abundant production. Worth a watch as a movie I’d like to see again with some friends.

That will do for now.